Entries by

Jesus, Your Ticket to the Promised Land

2022-08-16 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:40-52.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 32:40-44 (NIV)
40  I lift my hand to heaven and declare: As surely as I live forever,
41  when I sharpen my flashing sword and my hand grasps it in judgment, I will take vengeance on my adversaries and repay those who hate me.
42  I will make my arrows drunk with blood, while my sword devours flesh: the blood of the slain and the captives, the heads of the enemy leaders.”
43  Rejoice, O nations, with his people, for he will avenge the blood of his servants; he will take vengeance on his enemies and make atonement for his land and people.
44  Moses came with Joshua son of Nun and spoke all the words of this song in the hearing of the people.

On verses 40-44:  Here Moses finishes his song for the Israelites.  His song ends talking about God’s vengeance against His enemies, how God will avenge the blood of His people (v43), punish all wrongdoing and eliminate His adversaries.  That is what a just God does.  God would not be just if He did not hate evil or punish wrongdoing.  God is a just judge and a mighty warrior who will one day put an end to all evil.  

美名勝過大財

2022-08-16 in , /by

箴言22:1  美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。

閱讀經文：箴言 22:1-2

1美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。2富戶窮人在世相遇，都為耶和華所造。

第1節：美名勝過大財，恩寵強如金銀。A sterling reputation is better than striking it rich;  a gracious spirit is better than money in the bank.《The Message》

這話乍看就是：名比利好（我們中國人就這樣講）。不過我們應該還是可以看得深入一點。「名」怎麼講也是你自己經年累月給人家的一種印象，因此你這名是「美名」，是因為你這個人，使你有一個好的名聲（如果是惡名當然就是不好，我們這裡不談惡名）。

「美名」是經年累月下，一切的美善造成的；是你自己的一個東西。但「大財」不是你自己的東西，不管是不是你賺的，真的都像中國人講的身外之物，會隨時長翅膀、如飛而去。但如果經年累月從你生命裡活出來的，就不會飛掉，所以你真實的生命是屬於你自己的，那比「大財」要好得多。

「恩寵強如金銀」，「恩寵」和「金銀」又都是身外物：「恩寵」是別人對你的好處，不管是上帝或是君王對你的好處。又為什麼強如金銀？如果美名是指你自己一切的生命，恩寵就是指另外一個人的生命，這人的生命他有實權、有實際的能力，他願意對你好，那就比無定的錢財要更好了。

換句話說：「美名和恩寵」都是一個人（或者神）實質所發出來的東西，比「大財和金銀」隨時在轉移、流動，要穩固得多。所以讓我們有一個美好的生命（長期的美好生命等於美名），那比會轉瞬過去的大財好；讓我們有從神自己生命出來的恩寵，那比金銀要好。(康來昌牧師)

How to Live with More Discernment

2022-08-15 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:26-39.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 32:26-39 (NIV)
26  I said I would scatter them and blot out their memory from mankind,
27  but I dreaded the taunt of the enemy, lest the adversary misunderstand and say, ‘Our hand has triumphed; the LORD has not done all this.'”
28  They are a nation without sense, there is no discernment in them.
29  If only they were wise and would understand this and discern what their end will be!

On verses 26-39:  Moses turns his attention to the enemies of Israel.  He foresees that when Israel is defeated by their enemies as a consequence of disobeying God, their enemies will think that they were victorious because of their own strength and power, rather than giving the credit to God.  God wishes that they would all have the discernment to know that without Him there is no way they could have been successful.  Knowing that this is how Israel’s enemies will respond, Moses says that God in His sovereignty will deal with Israel’s enemies in His own time, such that not just Israel but other nations will see that the LORD is God.

得勝乃在乎耶和華

2022-08-15 in , /by

箴言21:31  馬是為打仗之日預備的，得勝乃在乎耶和華。

閱讀經文：箴言 21:24-31

24心驕氣傲的人，名叫褻慢，他行事狂妄，都出於驕傲。25懶惰人的心願將他殺害，因為他手不肯做工。26有終日貪得無厭的，義人施捨而不吝惜。27惡人的祭物是可憎的，何況他存惡意來獻呢？28作假見證的必滅亡，唯有聽真情而言的，其言長存。29 惡人臉無羞恥，正直人行事堅定。30沒有人能以智慧、聰明、謀略抵擋耶和華。31馬是為打仗之日預備的，得勝乃在乎耶和華。

有一位作家寫了一篇文章，說到自生一生的敗筆有兩方面，一是不能戰勝自己的懶惰，二是不能戰勝自己的欲望。懶惰是因為不肯好好學習，害怕困難，能不學就不學，所以錯過了許多機會。二是自己的欲望裡都是享福作樂戲耍之流，所以人生一事無成。“懶惰人的心願將他殺害，因為他手不肯做工”。懶惰的人也知道自己懶，但是還是那麼愛惜自己的手。存乎一心，存乎一心，要不要放開手去做，真的是存乎一心。

很多人都想功成名就，但都像這位作家一樣，知道不下苦工，根本無法達到自己想要的成就。所以在《箴言》這本書裡，讓我們看到人生的成功不在於有什麼沒什麼，而在於能否堅守道德底線，一路前行，而不致在人生的盡頭後悔不已。

祂的救恩作我們的堅壘

2022-08-14 in , /by

箴言21:22   智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘

閱讀經文：箴言 21:22-23

22智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。23謹守口與舌的，就保守自己免受災難。

第22節：智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。One sage entered a whole city of armed soldiers— their trusted defenses fell to pieces!《The Message》

我們不要太自信，以為自己廉潔到可以通過任何金錢的誘惑，聖潔到可以無感於出軌的可能，細心到任何的話語不會出差錯，利害到所有的發表沒瑕疵，冷靜到所有的狀況都可應付。我們能平安度日，自我感覺良好，是考驗不大，未逢高手。人生若閱歷豐富，生命若尚存謙虛，感謝主。

「智慧人爬上勇士的城牆，傾覆他所倚靠的堅壘。」(箴言21:22)這是很好的警告。高的城牆，蜘蛛可爬上；堅固的堡壘，怪手可推倒。強的依靠，大力士可以傾覆。有力的背景，媒體可找到破綻。仔細的作帳，調查局都找得到有瑕疵的發票。社會上有句話：「黑道怕老大，老大怕刑警，刑警怕局長，局長怕市長，市長怕議員，議員怕媒體，媒體怕企業，企業怕大眾，大眾怕黑道。」

至於我們，我們敬畏上帝，以祂的救恩作我們的堅壘。（張文亮教授）

You’re Blessed with God’s Best

2022-08-14 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:13-25.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 32:13-15 (NIV)
13  He made him ride on the heights of the land and fed him with the fruit of the fields. He nourished him with honey from the rock, and with oil from the flinty crag,
14  with curds and milk from herd and flock and with fattened lambs and goats, with choice rams of Bashan and the finest kernels of wheat. You drank the foaming blood of the grape.
15  Jeshurun grew fat and kicked; filled with food, he became heavy and sleek…

On verses 13-15a:  Verses 13-14 describe how God gave Israel His best provision.  His provision for them was not ordinary, but extraordinary.  Truly God had allowed the Israelites to come into a land of milk (v14) and honey (v13).  In the same way, the Holy Spirit is working in your life when you acknowledge that your heavenly Father’s provision for your life is not ordinary but extraordinary.  That includes every blessing He has given you and most especially His Son Jesus Christ.

男人需要曠野

2022-08-12 in , /by

箴言21:21   追求公義仁慈的，就尋得生命、公義和尊榮。

閱讀經文：箴言 21:19-22

19 寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。20智慧人家中積蓄寶物、膏油，愚昧人隨得來隨吞下。21追求公義仁慈的，就尋得生命、公義和尊榮。

第19節：寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。Better to live in a tent in the wild than with a cross and petulant spouse.《The Message》

很早以前，上帝要該隱去流浪。因此男人的身邊，應該有一片曠野。很可惜，該隱選擇住了下來，從此男人失去曠野。男人要競爭較勝，在商場裡擁擠，在工作中爭 取立足之地，在熱門中打拼，在評估表格裡攀爬等。我們往人多的地方去，在多人看見的地方表演。 連一點點獨處的曠野也糊掉。結果，時代進步，男人退化。

退化的男人，身邊的婦人會愛爭吵；沮喪的男人，同住的婦人易使氣。這是男人失去曠野的反作用力，是太小空間撞擊機率的提昇，爭吵與使氣是人際壓力要尋找外 洩的方式。這時增加人際的距離，到曠野是降壓的好方式。這是熱力學的原理，也是聖經所講的光景：「寧可住在曠野，不與爭吵使氣的婦人同住。」(箴言21:19)（張文亮教授）

婦人愛爭吵，易生氣，要怪女人嗎? 不，這是男人失去曠野的症候群。重回曠野吧。

You are the Apple of God’s Eye

2022-08-12 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 32:1-12.  As promised we’ll also look at Deuteronomy 31:30 as well.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 31:30 (NIV)
30  And Moses recited the words of this song from beginning to end in the hearing of the whole assembly of Israel:

On verse 30:  Moses is known more as a lawgiver than a songwriter.  Still, there are two songs that Moses is credited with in the Bible.  One of them is here.  Moses’ purpose in presenting this song is to give praise to God as well as to teach the current generation of Israelites some important truths.  Let’s take a look in the verses that follow.

Deuteronomy 32:1-2 (NIV)
1  Listen, O heavens, and I will speak; hear, O earth, the words of my mouth.
2  Let my teaching fall like rain and my words descend like dew, like showers on new grass, like abundant rain on tender plants.

惡人做了義人的贖價

2022-08-11 in , /by

箴言21:17   愛宴樂的必致窮乏，好酒愛膏油的必不富足。

閱讀經文：箴言 21:16-18

16迷離通達道路的，必住在陰魂的會中。17愛宴樂的必致窮乏，好酒愛膏油的必不富足。18惡人做了義人的贖價，奸詐人代替正直人。

第16節：迷離通達道路的，必住在陰魂的會中。Whoever wanders off the straight and narrow ends up in a congregation of ghosts.《The Message》

這節經文使我想起本仁約翰寫的《天路歷程》。本書講述一個“基督徒”為尋求永生而踏上荊棘遍佈的遙遠之旅。當基督徒離開毀滅城去尋找天國時，一路上遇到了各種陰險人物的誘惑和兇險，經歷了許多考驗，也學會了怎樣抵制誘惑、戰勝困難，終於抵達天國，天門為他而開。

這一路上的陰險人物便是撒旦和邪靈的化身，牠們的目的便是要基督徒離開正道。只要基督徒離開正道，牠們便可以完全控制他，讓他身不由己地做出原本不想做的事情。這也是人生的本相，我們若沒有神的話在心中做指引，便會落入撒旦的誘惑和掌控中，還以為自己很聰明。

God’s Love For You Is Stronger Than Your Sin Against Him

2022-08-11 in /by

Hi GAMErs!

Today’s passage is Deuteronomy 31:14-30.  Let’s go!

Deuteronomy 31:14 (NIV)
14  The LORD said to Moses, “Now the day of your death is near. Call Joshua and present yourselves at the Tent of Meeting, where I will commission him.” So Moses and Joshua came and presented themselves at the Tent of Meeting.

On verse 14:  God had been preparing Joshua to be Moses’ successor for some time already (see Deuteronomy 3:28 and Numbers 27:15-23).  Moses had already publicly commissioned Joshua so that all the people knew who would lead them after Moses died (Deuteronomy 31:7-8).  Now in verse 14, we see God personally and privately commissioning Joshua at the Tent of Meeting in Moses’ presence (v14).  In verse 23, God speaks to Joshua directly and tells him to be strong and courageous.  

Notice that it is God who chose, prepared and raised up the next leader for Israel.  It wasn’t done by a democratic vote by the people.  It was God’s decision, which He communicated to Moses.